Evidence for Progestogen Secretion by ACTH-Stimulated Adrenals.

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Abstract
Daily doses of 30 ug. of an ACTH suspension in beeswax and peanut oil injd. for a wk. stimulated adrenals of immature hypophysectomized and oophoretomized rats to form progestogen, as shown by the deciduoma test. Mammotropic hormone in daily doses as low as 50 ug. accomplished this effect in immature hypophysectomized-adrenalectomized rats, the ovaries of which had previously been luteinized with pregnant mare serum gonadotropin. Progesterone and DCA in 7 daily doses of 1 mg. induced deciduoma formation in immature hypophysectomized rats; hydrocortisone in 7 daily doses of 5 mg. did not. Since both MH and ACTH induce progestogen secretion, an assayist should study the respective target tissue of each (corpus luteum or adrenal cortex) for histologic evidence of activation rather than use biologic or chemical evidence of progestogen formation. An alternative would be to test for MH progestogen in hypophys-ectomized-adrenalectomized animals, and for ACTH-progestogen after hypophysectomy and oophorectomy.